Foster's may have to stick with wine

The global credit crunch may force Foster's to abandon any hopes to offload its wine division in 2009, analysts say.

Foster's delays decision on wine division

Foster's Group has delayed until next year a decision on what to do with its ailing wine business.

Wines in the Press: From old wines to sweet wines

Australia storms to victory in IWSC competition

Australia took pole position at today's annual International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC), scooping a total of 34 awards.

Welcome to the future

The July 11 issue of this magazine contained two disassociated snippets of information regarding Australian wine, which have long occupied my own thoughts (in my soon-to-be-published book, The Great Wine Swindle, I speculate on the implications in greater depth).

Wines in the Press: From top wine schools to Tesco

With the summer behind us, so too this week is talk of suitable wines for the warm weather. Jancis Robinson, back from her summer holiday, has a last word of advice on seasonal tipples, but for the most part the wine writers are turning their attentions to other matters. Jonathan Ray gives us his run down of the UK's top wine schools, Victoria Moore has her patience tried out by a good Bordeaux and Anthony Rose indulges in a spot of Tesco's finest.

Foster's reports 88% profit slump

Australian wine giant Foster's Group has reported an 88% slump in profits as sales of its wines continue to fall.

The Observer

TIM ATKIN MW has a 10ft hole in the middle of his dining room: he is having a wine cellar built.
You don't have to spend a fortune to start a modest wine collection,' he says, and recommends four reds at under 10, including: 2004 Marques de Casa Concha Merlot (7.99; Sainsbury's); 2004 Domaine de Fontsque, Corbires (8.99; Marks & Spencer); and 2005 Peter Lehmann Tempranillo, Barossa Valley (7.99; Waitrose).

The Times

Ignore 2006 Burgundy and lavish all your attention on Australian Pinot Noir, says Jane Macquitty. However this was not always her view, as she admitted "how typically presumptuous of the Aussies, I thought, to pick Pinot Noir as one of their six regional heroes". But on tasting 20 of the featured wines in this category at the Australia Day tasting, MacQuitty begrudgingly says she was "wrong, wrong, wrong". Her recommendations include the "classic" 2006 Ninth Island Pinot Noir (,9.99, Waitrose) and the 2006 Pirie South Pinot Noir (9.99, Majestic) for its spice. Jeffrey Grosset's 2006 Adelaide Hills (26.95, Liberty) is also "deliciously smoky".

The Observer

TIM ATKIN MW, in giving his pick of 2006, detects a number of trends. He feels that alcohol levels may be falling in response to consumer demand and that oak levels are reducing. His wine country of the year is Spain, most improved is Chile and country to watch is Argentina. His grape variety of the year is Garnacha/Grenache; top winery, Peter Lehmann; winemaker, Aurelio Montes; wine region, Loire; supermarket, Waitrose; off-licence chain, Threshers/Wine Rack; by-the-case merchant, Majestic; mail order, The Wine Society; and independent merchant, Berry Bros & Rudd.

The Observer

Who is the best wine producer in the world?' TIM ATKIN MW has his work cut out for him after this opening line, but he manages to whittle the possibilities down to six: Chteau Margaux in Bordeaux, Leroy in Burgundy, Chave in the Rhne, Gaja in Piedmont, JJ Prm in Germany and Kracher in Austria. No one from the New World gets a look in with this first line-up, but the tables are turned when the subject switches to dependable brands. Atkin's favourites for quantity, quality and consistency are: Jacob's Creek (Australia), Concha y Toro (Chile), Peter Lehmann (Australia), Montana (New Zealand), Torres (Spain) and Dourthe (France). Readers are urged to put this theory to the test and try a bottle of Peter Lehmann Shiraz, Barossa (7.99; Waitrose).

The Independent

ANTHONY ROSE sweet talks his readers this week, saying forget Liebfraumilch and Lambrusco, 'the fine sweet wines that end a meal beautifully are among the great wonders of the wine world'. If price is a problem, Rose lets slip that 'Australia cunningly replicates the Sauternes experience at a fraction of the price in wines such as the 2002 Peter Lehmann Barossa Valley Botrytis Semillon (5.99-6.99, half-bottle; Booths, Oddbins and Jeroboams). Sweet Riesling from Germany is a classic style, Rose continues, but 'no pantheon of sweet wines would be complete without Tokaji', and one of the best of the best is 1999 Royal Tokaji Tokaji Asz 5 Puttonyos (8.99; Waitrose).

The Sunday Times

JOANNA SIMON compiles a three-page guide to 'a stellar cellar'. Among her listings, there is a panel of 'names you can trust' among the brig brands. Her list includes Torres, Concha y Toro, Cono Sur, Peter Lehmann, Yalumba, De Bortoli, Villa Maria, Montana, Robert Mondavi, Santa Julia, Calvet and Douthe.

The Independent

ANTHONY ROSE is happy to dispel the old line about Australian wines 'all tasting the same'. At an Australian Wine Club tasting, he was hugely impressed with the line-up. Highlights included 2002 Basket Press Shiraz (23.99), which ages 'into a majestic Hermitage-like red'; 2004 Poverty Hill Riesling (9.99), which is 'in the keroseney mould'; and Peter Lehmann's 1998 Stonewell Shiraz (30), which displays 'immensely rich liquorice spice and bittersweet chocolate characters'.

Lehmann predicts a good year

Australian wine is set to get back on track with its 2008 vintage, according to Adelaide-based producer Doug Lehmann, managing director of Peter Lehmann Wines.

Enotria takes on Marques de Riscal

London-based Enotria has been appointed the UK agent for major Rioja brand Marques de Riscal.

Leading brands scoop Australian wine awards

Peter Lehmann Wines from the Barossa Valley took home four trophies and 37 medals at the Royal Melbourne Wine Show.

Split decision

It is inconceivable that the Cte d'Or would ever be regarded as a single entity, with no recognition of the differences between a Puligny-Montrachet and a Meursault. Yet, for the Clare Valley in South Australia, this is how it is. Though similar in length to the Cte d'Or, the Clare Valley is lumped into one catch-all appellation. But if you have ever tasted a selection of Rieslings from Polish Hill River, Watervale and Sevenhill this is clearly not one homogeneous zone.

Kiwi wines bask in critical approval

New Zealand's wines are now up there with the best, according to influential international wine commentators attending a recent run of wine conferences in New Zealand. And there wasn't a Sauvignon Blanc in sight. This wave of what is some of the greatest praise received by the industry was prompted by the Pinot Noir 2007 conference held in Wellington, and the associated symposia on Aromatics in Nelson and Syrah in Hawkes Bay.

Innovative Oz

WHERE: Lawrence Hall, Royal Horticultural Halls, London SW1
WHEN: Wednesday, 31 January 2007 from 10am-4.30pm and Thursday, 1 February 2007 from 9.30am-5pm
CONTACT: Melissa Worthington at Wine Australia on 020 7887 5259